Getting Low-Cost Vassar Car Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced car insurance? Trust us, you are not the only one feeling buyer's remorse.

Because you have many companies and agents to choose from, it's nearly impossible to pick the most affordable insurer.

It's important to do rate comparisons every six months because rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the lowest price two years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. There is a lot of wrong information about car insurance online, so I'm going to show you some great ways to save money.

More discounts equal less premium

Car insurance companies don't always advertise all their discounts very well, so we researched some of the more common as well as the least known ways to save on car insurance.

  • 55 and Retired - Mature drivers may be able to get reduced rates.
  • Multiple Vehicles - Having multiple vehicles on the same car insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Bundle and Save - When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same insurance company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
  • Early Switch Discount - Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them before your current expiration date. It's a savings of about 10%.
  • Theft Prevention System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.

It's important to note that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, you're out of luck.

To see a list of companies who offer car insurance discounts in Michigan, click this link.

Vassar car insurance comparison

Comprehensive Vassar Car Insurance Comparison

Most companies allow you to get pricing on the web. The process is pretty easy as you just type in the coverages you want into the quote form. Once you submit the form, their rating system will obtain credit information and your driving record and returns a price quote. This makes comparing rates easy, but the time required to go to different websites and complete many quote forms is repetitive and time-consuming. Unfortunately, it is important to compare as many rates as possible in order to find a lower rate.

The preferred way to lower your rates utilizes a single form that gets price quotes from a lot of companies. It's a real time-saver, eliminates form submissions, and makes quoting online much more enjoyable. As soon as the form is sent, it is rated and you can select any or none of the price quotes you receive. If a lower price is quoted, you can simply submit the application and buy the new coverage. The entire process can be completed in a matter of minutes and could lower your rates considerably.

If you want to find out how much you're overpaying now, click here and enter your information. If you have coverage now, it's recommended you complete the form with the coverage information exactly as shown on your declarations page. This makes sure you will receive an apples-to-apples comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Vassar

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with big savings.

The following are a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine rates.

  • Mature drivers pay less - Young drivers in Michigan are known to be more careless when behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher. Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
  • Do you know your deductibles? - Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are a windshield shattered by a rock, vandalism, and burglary. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are required to spend in the event of a claim. The more you're willing to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
  • Rural vs Urban Areas - Choosing to live in less populated areas can be a good thing when it comes to car insurance. Drivers in populated areas have much more traffic and longer commute times. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
  • What type of vehicle do you drive? - The performance level of the vehicle you own makes a big difference in your rates. The lowest rates are usually for low performance passenger models, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
  • How's your driving record? - Your driving citation history has a big impact on rates. Good drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Only having one speeding ticket can increase rates forty percent or more. Drivers who have flagrant citations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
  • Multi-policy discounts can save money - Many car insurance companies will give a discount to policyholders who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, you still need to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still find a better deal by splitting coverages up.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads in print and on television. They all seem to make the same claim that you can save after switching to them. But how can every company make the same claim?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a desirable insured could be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and chooses high deductibles. A customer who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and therefore will save a lot of money.

Drivers who do not match this ideal profile will have to pay a higher premium which leads to business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That's the way insurance companies can state the savings. Because of the profiling, drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which car insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Final considerations

When buying insurance coverage, don't be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed collision coverage and learned later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.

Lower-priced car insurance can be purchased from both online companies and with local Vassar insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

We just showed you some good ideas how to compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even find the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies. These smaller insurers often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as .

Learn more about Michigan car insurance

Additional detailed information is located at the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation website. Consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, report car insurance fraud, view agent and company licensing information, and learn about specific coverages.

Additional helpful sites include this Car Insurance FAQ and this page of insurance agents in Vassar.